Name: Sierra Pintada & Western RR Layout owner: Willem Van der Hoeven Scale: HO (1:87.1) Size: 10′-0″ x 34′-10″ Prototype: freelanced, inspired by old-time western United States railroads Locale: Arizona Era: 1880s Style: shelf Mainline run: 40 feet Minimum radius: 24″ Minimum turnout: no. 4 Maximum grade: 2 percent Benchwork: shelf on consoles Height: 40″ […]
Section: Modeling
Scale conversion chart for large-scale modelers
Use this handy chart to convert your drawings to another scale. Download our PDF and start building! […]
Coast Daylight eastbound at Guadalupe, Calif.
Train 98, the eastbound Coast Daylight, storms through Guadalupe Calif. in the Fall of 1954. Video by Brian Moore. […]
Operating the Santa Cruz Northern, Part 1
This series covers the operations of Jim Providenza’s Santa Cruz Northern model railroad. In this first installment, we will take a tour of the layout and take a look at the operations of Train #271 the Westbound Drag freight. […]
Southern Pacific AC-5 Cab Forward at Skykomish
Southern Pacific AC-5 Cab Forward at Skykomish: By accident, I have a car about 2/3rds into the train where it sounds like a prototypical flat wheel on one of the cars. The light at the back top of the engine was for the fireman to check, at night, the exhaust to see how efficient his […]
UP 8500 turbine at Tye
Check out this UP 8500 turbine at Tye. Video by Sam Parfitt. […]
Canadian Canyons Series: Part 30 – Filling in the gaps with Sculptamold
Having trouble viewing this video? Please visit our Video FAQ page With the spine for our eroding rockwork securely in place, Drew and Kent show you how to form a sloped mountain face using paper-based Sculptamold. Follow along, as the two share tips for mixing, filling, and finessing the putty-like product along the Thompson […]
Canadian Canyons Series: Part 30 – Filling in the gaps with Sculptamold
With the spine for our eroding rockwork securely in place, Drew and Kent show you how to form a sloped mountain face using paper-based Sculptamold. Follow along, as the two share tips for mixing, filling, and finessing the putty-like product along the Thompson Canyon scene of our N scale project layout. […]
A public garden line in Germany celebrates 20 years
The railway at a glance Name: Gartenbahn der Parkeisenbahn Chemnitz Size of railroad: 21m x 9.5m (69′ x 31′) Scale: Mostly 1:22.5 Gauge: Nº 1 (45mm) Era: 1965-present Theme: Central German Mountains Age: 20 years Power: Massoth DiMAX 1210Z; Digital Central Station 20 V/12 A Length of mainline: 245m (803′) Length of storage sidings: 125m […]
An eastern line serves small mountain towns
The railway at a glance Railroad name: Capleville & Sugkat Valley Railroad Size: 90′ x 35′ x 30′ Scale: 1:22.5-1:32 Era: 1940-1960s Theme: Small mountain towns and big railroads Age: 20 years Motive power: Track and battery Length of mainline: 350′ Maximum gradient: 3% Type of track: Aristo-Craft and LGB; LGB switches Minimum radius: 10′ […]
California narrow gauge in the 1940s
The railway at a glance Name: Lake Tahoe & Truckee Size: 120′ x 15′ Scale: 1:22.5 Gauge: Nº 1 (45mm) Era: 1940s Theme: Sierra Nevada narrow gauge Age: 21 years Motive power: LGB Moguls, cab-forward articulated, Forney Length of mainline: 300+ feet Maximum gradient: 2.5% Type of track: LGB flex and Sunset Valley switches Minimum […]
Design your railway: Pick a theme for a perfect scene
Download a PDF of the article here. […]